Other Options
by writergirl75
Summary: An unsurprising attempt by John Diggle to comfort Felicity Smoak leads to a very surprising conclusion.


A/N: So I'm pissed off at Oliver after 2x13, and this little one-shot is the result. This story is in the same vein as pameblina's "Roy to the Rescue" only I went the Digg route instead of the Roy route. I imagine I'll eventually get over it and be able to go back to my Olicity fics, but for now, I needed to get this out of my system.

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**Other Options**

Felicity flinched as she heard the door shut. Please, she thought, don't let it be Oliver.

She was trying so hard not to cry, one hand pressed against her stomach. Struggling to keep it together as she stood in the rain, behind a bar, dressed in one of the most expensive dresses she'd ever owned.

"Felicity?" the voice, was deeper, calmer, and far more welcome than Oliver Queen's.

She didn't turn right away. "I'm okay, Digg."

"Then look at me," he said.

She turned then, knowing he would see everything in her face. His suit jacket and tie were missing. The expression in his brown eyes as he blinked against the rain held nothing but kindness. "You gonna tell me what happened?"

Now tears did start to mix with the rain. "It's stupid."

He let out a long sigh and walked toward her. "I just punched him in the face; it would be nice to know why."

Felicity let out a startled noise. "You're kidding."

Digg looked at her, his expression serious. Flexing one fist he said, "I'm really not."

It was an odd thing, she thought, how something could make you feel better and worse at the same time. "You didn't need to do that."

Digg's eyes traveled over her face. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I did."

She let out a little hiccupping sob and was suddenly enveloped in a very warm and very comforting hug. She buried her face against her friend's chest and let herself have a couple of good minutes of crying. Wrapped in his large arms, her head under his chin, she didn't even feel the rain.

Finally she sniffed and pulled back a little. "Would you take me home?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," he said. His voice was so gentle that she had to swallow against more tears.

He led the way out of the alley and she followed behind him. When he would have opened the back door of the sedan – out of habit she assumed, she reached out and stopped his arm. "I'd like to sit by you, if that's okay."

He nodded but she noticed that he didn't meet her gaze. Instead he moved to open the front passenger door and she slumped down on to the seat, feeling grateful to be out of the cold. When she saw Digg bend down for something she turned, watching as he picked up the hem of her blue dress and tucked in carefully inside the car.

"Thank you," she said, reaching out to put her fingers on his arm, touched by the thoughtfulness of the act.

This time he did look at her, and the expression on his face made her freeze. Before she could even process it, he'd stood up and closed the door.

In the five seconds it took Digg to walk around the car, a thousand thoughts flickered through her mind. Surely she'd misread that look, right? This was John Diggle, who'd only ever treated her like a little sister. Who, until three months ago had been living with his ex-wife; an ex-wife he'd risked his life to save. Yes, Lyla was away on a mission, but still…they were together right?

The door opened and Felicity looked at him. In the dark however, she couldn't really read his expression. Not knowing what to say, she waited while he started the car and pulled out onto the street.

"So," he said, leaning down to turn on the heating controls on the dashboard. "Tell me."

"It's no big deal," Felicity said. "Like I said, just me being stupid."

Digg let out a sound of disbelief. "You're the smartest woman I know."

"Not when it comes to men," she said, unable to keep the pain out of her voice.

Digg didn't respond, and the tone of his silence made it clear that he was expecting an answer to his question.

"I know it was a mission, a cover. But a security guard walked in when I was trying to get the files, and Oliver's solution to that was to shove me against a wall and kiss me. And after he kissed me, he looked…" she stopped and leaned forward putting her head in her hand. "Why does he have to look at me like that, Digg? When he obviously doesn't care at all?" Suddenly she couldn't quit talking. "Then the minute the guard walked away he jerked back like I was disgusting and when I asked him why he'd chosen that method for distracting the guard, he told me because it was 'the most convenient thing at the time.'"

Digg swore, and Felicity let out a slightly panicky laugh. "Yeah, he was having a real Prince Charming moment. But Digg, I know he's with Sarah…and he's never said anything to me…so I have no right to be acting this way."

"I'm the one that punched him," Digg said evenly as he looked over his shoulder to check his blind spot before changing lanes. "I think I take the prize for emotional reaction tonight."

"Why did you punch him?" she said.

Digg let out another long sigh. "I'm just really tired of the way he treats you. It's not how I…it's not how you deserve to be treated."

"Thank you, Digg," she said quietly. There was something in the earnestness of that comment, and that combined with the look he'd given her a moment ago made her really start to wonder.

Several minutes of silence stretched as Digg navigated the streets of Starling City and Felicity struggled to figure out what was going on. Finally, she blurted, "Can I ask you what's going to seem like a totally random question?"

He let out a small grunt of a laugh. "That sounds like the Felicity I know."

That made her smile a little and she reached up to wipe her face. "Are you and Lyla still, well, a thing?"

He didn't answer right away and she looked over to see that his jaw was clenched. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

He shook his head. "No, it's alright. I just don't the answer. I thought we were putting things back together… but when she took off this last time she didn't say goodbye."

Felicity leaned over lay her hand on his upper arm, surprised at how warm it felt even through the sleeve of his shirt. "That really sucks." She squeezed gently and had to admire the feeling, seriously, the guy was like granite.

His eyes didn't leave the road but she saw a half-smile appear on his face. "Yes, yes it does." Then his gaze darted to her hand for half a second, and she felt that odd charge again. She pulled away and sat back. So Lyla might be out of the picture? Did that matter?

They had reached her building and Digg pulled the car to a stop in the fire lane in front of the stairs that led to her apartment. He didn't shut off the car though, or make any more to open the door. Something was hanging in the air between them.

"Uh, Digg?" she said, her voice shaking.

"Yeah," he said, looking down.

"Um…I don't even know how to ask you this, but the whole punching Oliver thing and well, you looking at me back there…and…" she sputtered to a stop trying to figure out how to even form the sentence. "Do you…?"

There was a long moment where he just looked out his window. Then he said, "Yeah. Maybe." When he turned Felicity saw the same expression she'd seen fleetingly a few moments before, but this time he wasn't hiding it. It made her feel noticed, and cared for, and maybe even a little bit…wanted.

"Oh," she said. "How long? And please don't say from the beginning because that would make me as clueless as Oliver."

He laughed, a deep barking sound that made her smile. He shook his head, "No, not from the beginning. These last couple months maybe. The night you patched up my stab wound in that white dress, definitely."

That had been two weeks ago. She'd been oblivious. "Really?"

"Really," he said, an edge to his voice.

His eyes settled on her face with such intensity that she swallowed hard, and as she gazed back she realized that though she was totally surprised by all of this, she was also more than a little bit pleased.

"I am too old for you," he said quietly.

She frowned. "I'm not sure that's an issue for me, but I don't…"

He blinked and sat back. His face changing from the caring look to something that wasn't quite angry, just more resigned. "You don't have to explain." Before she could answer he opened the door of the car and got out.

Feeling anxious she yanked her door open. He was walking around the car and she started to toward him. Then her heel caught in the ridiculously long dress, and she pitched forward.

In an instant he was there, catching her, his hands gentle and warm on her bare arms as he steadied her. When he went to pull away from her she reached up, locking her hands around his forearms. "Digg," she said quickly. "You need to let me finish my sentence."

"Okay," he said, and instead of pulling away he stepped closer to her. "I'm listening."

He was really close, and she had to tilt her head up to meet his gaze. "I don't entirely know what to think right now, but knowing that you care about me…it feels good."

He nodded once, a half-smile forming on his lips, and she could see a spark of warmth in his eyes again. "I like that."

She smiled feeling truly happy for the first time in weeks. "And well…could we maybe go do something together…just you and I, no vigilante nonsense?"

"Tomorrow?" he asked.

"Please," she responded. Really those dark eyes of his were something, how had she never noticed that? She took a deep breath, her head was spinning just a little more than she was comfortable with. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

His arms came around her again, and she let herself be hugged for the second time that night. She was surprised at the way it calmed her, settled her, made her feel like herself again.

Then rather abruptly he stepped back, pulling completely free of her. "You should go. You've had a rough day."

She could hear the doubt creeping into his voice, and she didn't like it. Reaching out she grabbed his hand, "And you're the only thing that made it better."

He smiled then, a full on charming John Diggle smile. "Good. Now, go, I'll wait and make sure you get in okay."

She nodded and turned, carefully navigating the wet stairs in her high heels and long dress. Unlocking the door, she turned one last time. Digg was leaned against the car, watching out for her – like he always had.


End file.
